6Peter winced at the sound his alarm made at six sharp.
He grimaced, then tried to turn off the alarm; when that didn't work he gave up and stood from his bed. He did his bed without really thinking it. Then, he sighed, he was really tired, and for some reason his muscles felt sore. He covered his mouth with one of his hands and walked towards the bathroom, then, he splashed water against his faced and looked at his reflection staring at him. After a few seconds of just looking at it death in the eye, he realised he looked a few years older. Wasn't he just past Elementary? What was happening? He watched the rest of the bathroom. It looked luxurious, but rather plain for him. That's when he took notice of something else.
Where the heck was he?
He got out of the bathroom, and then glanced at the room. It was all made of metal, with the exceptions being his bed, and the nightstand. The walls were around ten feet tall, something he kind of thanked.
He was definitively sure he wasn't at home. Was this some camp? Was he at Oscorp? He remembered Harry telling him something about them having rooms exactly like this one. But he barely paid attention to him. Now he wished he hadn't. Somehow, this place felt strangely familiar, but he couldn't decipher why. Just then he realised he also was a bit taller than the last time he measured himself.
Peter looked around, hoping for a door. He finally reached it and he was surprised it actually opened itself. Before he could take a step further, a black-suited person appeared in front of him.
'Yo, Spidey. Ready to train?' the other asked, and when Peter didn't answer his mask apparently removed itself, revealing a pale face, blonde hair, and a somehow taken aback Flash Thompson. 'Why aren't in your costume already? This isn't like you.'
Peter kept staring at him. 'Flash? Flash… Thompson?' he asked, unsure. He remembered his name, what with him being the most popular at School (who wouldn't remember that, though?) and him being his personal bully. The blonde was surprised by his reaction. He laughed a little.
'Who else would I be? Tony Stark?' Peter blinked several times, not getting the apparently really laughable joke. Why would Tony Stark enter in his apparent room? To play videogames? He really doubted so.
'I… don't get it.'
Then something seemed to sink into Flash. 'What do you… mean with that?'
'The joke. You.' It only made Flash more worried.
'What with me?'
'You in a costume, you not trying to beat me, you not being appalled by this strange-looking room where I guess I slept?' Flash raised his hands in a surrendering manner.
'Hey, hey don't look at me like that. You know I don't beat you anymore, also… this is your room.' He seemed hesitant with his answer so he coughed a little to make it a little less awkward. 'Yes, I know, it doesn't really have that much of decoration, but you said it was OK always and since it was only for you. I also got one, remember?'
'…not really, no.'
Flash's face seemed to illuminate for a second. 'Wait, what's the last thing you remember?'
'Entering into Midtown. Yesterday Uncle Ben brought me the letter that said I was in, and we celebrated with a cake and… some experiments.' Flash grimaced at the mention of his uncle, and his really ripped memory.
'That's really the last thing you remember? Are you sure of it?'
Peter looked at him like he had grown a second head. 'Yeah, I remember it because it happened yesterday. Unless I am dreaming right this moment about a nice Flash who doesn't try to bully me. This actually makes sense, I once dreamt of a room made of metal and my brain remembered said dream and just recreated. I find no other explanation to it!'
Flash seemed sad by this, but also toughtful. Peter barely remembered his bully thinking into something that wasn't sports. Or girls, for that matter.
'This isn't a dream… is it?' he asked, cautiously.
Flash shook his head. 'I think you ought to see Connors. He might have the answers we both are looking for. Come with me, I'll lead the way.'
Even though his voice was demanding (and he seemed really grown up since the last time he's seen him), he could notice that his voice also sounded repentantly soft and worried. Peter felt something warm in his chest, and took in mind that whatever happened between them, actually made them friends (Flash looked like they were friends, but he couldn't be a hundred percent sure on that matter.), he could get used to this feeling. At least the not-being-beaten-and-cloistered-into-a-locker part. The friendly Flash part… it seemed too good to be true, so he'd stay cautious for a few hours.
'Hey Pete, what's going to be in today's class?' Asked a semi familiar voice from the other side of the hallway. He looked at it and he was grateful he somehow recognised the face of Harry Osborn, even if it was grown up like the rest of them. He doubted a few seconds trying to remember the schedule of Midtown, something he apparently forgot.
'I think it was double hour of Maths, an hour of Physics, two of Literature separated by the homeroom hour and that was it.' He answered, forcing himself to remember his schedule with all his might. Why couldn't he remember it?
It didn't look like the answer Harry was looking for. After some seconds staring dumbfounded at him, his best friend laughed himself to tears and then stared at him like he had told the best of jokes. 'Talking serious, Pete, what's there to be?'
'Ben's supposed to guide the class today. If you wish so, you can ask him what the topic is beforehand, but it will be by your own risk, Osborn.' That seemed to sink into Harry, and he looked mildly worried. Peter raised a brow at this and looked confused at Flash.
'Why would he be scared of Uncle Ben?' then he realised something. 'Why you talk so familiarly of Uncle Ben?' By the looks of Harry, it was positive neither of them talked of his uncle. It would be stupid to think that his uncle was the only Ben in the world. But that was the only explanation he found for him to lead a class he was supposed to take with Harry? Maybe he discussed the topics with his uncle and helped him with the planning of the day to day classes?
'Agent Venom… what's going on with Peter?' asked cautiously Harry after surpassing the initial shock of his best friend's questions. Wait, Agent Venom? Who was that? Flash shook his head.
'I'm not entirely sure myself, but he apparently cannot remember anything after being admitted into Midtown. I'm taking him to Connors' for him to check on him what happened. Go to the classroom, the classes are to start in a few minutes, and you know Scarlet isn't the most patient of us, so I tell you to go now. If you happen to catch sight of Fury, tell him he is needed with Connors.'
Harry nodded and went to what he was told to do, surprising Peter an awful lot. Surprising him more when he said 'Get better, buddy' and sprinting towards another alley. He stared at the place, and belatedly noticed Flash started to walk again too. He sprinted to get to his side, and then he looked surprised at the other. Flash raised an eyebrow at the apparent attention he was receiving, but didn't comment on it. Peter decided to ask him, after all Flash seemed willing to answer whatever he asked.
'He obeyed you.'
'He's supposed to, I'm his superior.'
'Superior?'
'I'm a graduate, he's a student. As simple as that.'
It had sense in it, but… Flash graduating before Harry? Maybe it explained why the costume, or Harry asking them about the classes and Flash knowing what was going on. Then another question bubbled in his head.
'Am I a graduate?' Flash seemed to know more about him than himself, so he supposed better ask him.
'You're not just that. But yeah, basically.'
'Harry said something about classes, then I suppose I am a teacher. What do I teach? Harry was never one for physics, or any kind of science, for that matter.'
Flash seemed troubled by this. If he was having some episode of selective amnesia (his second theory of the day), he knew that he wasn't supposed to be told, but he was just curious why he had so many drastic changes in his life he couldn't help it. Flash kept on walking, not even bothering to remember he had been asked a question. Peter wouldn't blame him, this was positively awkward, especially for him that remembered everything and Peter that he didn't know anything at all from a past he was supposed to have.
'There's no need for you to answer me, really. I'm just curious.' He said when Flash was about to open his mouth. Flash seemed thankful for that, and he supposed he was in a way. After all, he needn't to answer something that must be hard to say nonchalantly. They walked in silence for another few minutes, until they reached another door (that opened after Flash used his hand into some kind of tablet), and entered when it slid to one side. Inside there was what Peter guessed a scientific working on some… motorcycle? Huh.
'Agent Venom? Peter? What brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be training?' he asked, mildly concerned and mildly smiling. Flash shifted from one of his feet to the other, uncomfortable. 'Peter, is something wrong with Flash?'
He blinked in surprise, firstly because he didn't expect to be addressed to in such an informal way by the scientific. Secondly, because that man also was very aware that they both trained… for something he couldn't recall. After some seconds of thinking, he shook his head.
'I think the problem belongs to me, sir.' The man raised an eyebrow in suspicion, he guessed it had to do something with the way he addressed it. He remembered something, and he corrected himself. 'Connors?' it sounded more like a question, so by this point the other must be aware of whatever was going on. Doctor Connors looked at Flash now, concern all plastered in his countenance.
'How much?'
Flash shrugged. 'Apparently since the spider incident. He doesn't remember anything since he was admitted into Midtown.' Connors eyed him confused. Then he went to the other side of the room, and passed a door. Flash did a gesture for him to follow Connors. Peter did as he was told, and found himself in some kind of infirmary wing. With his hand, Connors gestured for him to sit on one of the hospital beds. Flash entered into the room a few seconds after him and stood beside him. Peter wondered why the apparent unconditional support, but he guessed if they both went to the same school and graduated and became friends, then he would help him until they knew whatever was going on, right?
He went and stood in front of him with a syringe and a test tube. 'This will hurt only a little, I have to do some blood tests and some other tests to know what's happened to you. Are you OK with that?' Peter nodded, and felt a sting when the syringe entered into his vein. He felt surreal when it started to suck into his blood. He vaguely remembered he wasn't to look into the syringe so it wouldn't feel so bad and stared at the scientific in front of him. He realised all the things he did, he did them with only an arm, and eyed the place where the other was supposed to be. A sudden pang of guilt spread through his entire body, and he gazed at the floor.
'Sorry.' He mumbled, and for some strange reason Connors seemed to know what he was apologising for.
'It was my decision. Either that, or you would have died.' He said, and even though that was supposed to make him feel better, it only left a bitter taste in his mouth. He nodded, and feigned tranquillity. 'Do you remember it?'
His answer was automatic. 'No. But it feels like it was related to me.'
Before Connors could answer him the test tube was full and he had to retreat it. He went to a centrifuge and positioned the test tube in it. Then he went to Peter and eyed him like someone looks an experiment, like every doctor eyes every patient.
After Peter could ask whatever was wrong with him the door opened and a dark skinned man entered through it. The first thing Peter noticed was that he was bald, and that he had an eye patch covering one of his eyes. He seemed surprised but also in control of the situation. Peter wondered who he was, and how he could look so powerful and in control of the situation and why he had the need to bend on his knees and reverence him.
'Doctor Connors. Patriot told me to come here right away. Can someone explain to me what is going on?'
Connors made a bow with his head, and seemed kind of sheepish. 'Director Fury, good morning. We suspect that Peter is… has developed some kind of selective amnesia.'
Fury looked at him, and he got an uneasy feeling by it. 'Is it true, Spiderman?'
Peter blinked a few times, truly confused. 'Spider… man, sir?
Fury seemed to understand it. 'My name is Nick Fury, I am the director of this whole place. You are inside the trikelion, an aeronautic plane developed to maintain anonymous our organisation. Have you heard about S.H.I.E.L.D., kid?'
'Not even once, sir.' Nick Fury didn't seemed faced by his lack of knowledge.
'It is an acronym for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Have you ever heard of it?'
'It sounds… mildly familiar.'
Connors came back, looking even more concerned than before. 'Hey, Peter. Can you… crawl into the wall, please?' he asked, and Peter eyed him like he had asked him to jump from a brink. Fury looked at the scientific interested from it, but didn't comment on it.
Peter stared at the wall besides him, and confused, positioned a hand on the wall, then the other. When he was about to position his last feet into it, he fell backwards, alarming both Flash and Fury. Connors looked like he had been slapped in the face, but not surprised.
'Just what I thought.'
'What was supposed to happen?' Asked Peter, with one of his hands massaging his muscles. Flash neared the wall and did what he tried to do, but unlike him, he could stick into the wall.
'This, Peter.'
The brunette didn't comment on it and looked confused at both Connors and Director Fury.
'What exactly is in his blood?' inquired Fury, afraid of whatever the science man could tell him.
'There's nothing there shouldn't be there, sir. No parasites, no excess of iron or red cells… no spider venom.' Fury opened his eye, like he had been told his death day. Then he looked at him like he was the cause of his future and hypothetic death. Flash seemed to pale, but didn't comment on it. After some seconds, Peter realised it was more that he couldn't talk. Nick got close to him and aimed a punch. Something told Peter to avoid it and he did it, barely. He felt something inside of him anger as well as a feeling of scariness.
'What was that for?!' He barked, knowing it wasn't polite and him being on a high position wouldn't be talked like that, but he just… couldn't hold his tongue.
'He seems to still have his spider senses.' pointed Nick after rolling his eyes and concentrating on Connors.
'It looks more like the training he's been put into what saved his eye,' Connors retaliated shaking his head. 'I just… it doesn't make any sense. It looks like his body erased every single evidence of him being Spiderman, even to erase his memory.'
Fury nodded. 'I still had faith it weren't that. Agent Venom, do you recall some enemy trying to take his powers away?'
'Besides Octavius and Mister Osborn? I highly doubt there was anyone capable of erasing his memory and taking his powers away. Octopus hasn't showed since the Grad day and in the current time Mister Osborn doesn't bare an ill will against Spiderman. So I have no idea who could it be.'
'What about Mysterio?' asked Connors, intrigued.
'He couldn't. His speciality is hypnosis, not science. He might be able to rip his memory, but I doubt highly he could take his powers, let alone erase them from his blood. Also, he's in one of the prisons, he couldn't have escaped from it.'
Fury seemed to think really hard the situation. After some minutes of thinking it, he sighed and looked at Flash like he was his only hope.
'Agent Venom, go look for Patriot. Tell him to take Mister Parker to Oscorp, and tell them to fetch Norman Osborn. Fill them both with his current status, and tell them they are to run tests on Parker.'
'Why can't I just… swing Peter to Oscorp and that's it? I don't feel it necessary to go take Patriot from his classes just to see Daddy.' Peter noticed a bitter tone on the way Flash talked, and he guessed whoever Patriot was, he wasn't really an acquaintance of his.
'I am not asking for your opinion, Agent Venom. It's an order, and you have to fulfil your duty as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and as a friend of Mister Parker. I am telling you this because you also have to fill in May Parker with this, after you both take Mister Parker to Oscorp. Is that clear?'
'Crystal, sir.'
He bowed his head and stared at Fury. Fury then looked at Connors. 'Keep me updated if something in his blood changes, or if there is any trace of venom left in his blood. I wouldn't want to lose a soldier as good as him.' Connors nodded and bowed with his head. Fury stared at the three of them. 'I am retiring now, you can go on your mission and get everything done. I wish you luck, soldiers.'
After bidding farewell to Connors both, Peter and Flash exited the room. They both walked through a corridor for some minutes until they reached a room barely labelled as 'Teaching room.' It looked so plain it almost made Peter grimace. Flash opened the room, interrupting someone with a costume with a similar fashion to Flash's, specifically the spider on the chest area. Even though he was a fair distance from them, and had a mask covering his face, Peter could clearly see he was pissed off at being interrupted.
'Sorry to disturb your class, Scarlet. We need Patriot, Fury's orders.' After rolling his eyes, the other nodded and gestured Harry to stand. Peter blinked at this. Harry was Patriot? What with those code names? Harry looked at them, obviously confused at being taken out of his totally interesting class.
'What happened?' he asked when Flash started walking to other part of the corridor. There were so many Peter was surprised they hadn't gotten lost yet. He guessed they had had much time to get used to whatever was there to be inside this place.
'We need to go to Oscorp and see your father.' Flash replied, entering in what Peter belatedly recognised as his room. From there, he went to a drawer he didn't know he had, and took a red-and-blue costume. He gave it to Peter, along with a mask. 'Change your clothing into this. We'll wait outside.'
'What's this for?' Asked Peter eyeing confused at his hands. Flash dismissed his question with a wave of his hand.
'Now's not the moment for questions. It is for your own security. Please do it.' Peter entered his room and started undressing, feeling mildly uncomfortable. After changing into what Flash asked him to, he exited his room and catch Flash midsentence. He looked at him approvingly (surprisingly enough he didn't get wrong the mask) and raised a thumb to prove it. 'Let's go now. Harry, you take Peter on the fly, I go swinging to the Oscorp building. Is that clear?'
'Why do we have to fly?' Flash looked like every word getting out of Peter's mouth was a bucket cold water against his back.
'We are on the trikelion, Fury told you that already. We are so up in the sky, not even planes are capable of getting to us.' Peter thought about just how high they had to be to not being able to be surpassed by the planes, and decided not to ask about it. 'Harry will take you to the Oscorp building, where we will reunite with Mr Osborn. I guess you recall him?'
'Yes, he is Harry's father, and a great scientific.'
Flash nodded, though he seemed reticent to agree on the last point. 'Yes, that's just perfect. I'll meet you both on the building. Is there something missing?'
'How will we get to the Oscorp building? Will we take a plane or something from here?'
Flash shook his head. 'Harry will give you a ride.'
Then he went to what Peter could only suppose was the exterior not before grabbing a jet-pack and launching himself into the sky.
'OK buddy, let's better get going. Just, take my hand or something and don't fret.'
'Why would I fret?' If he hadn't commented anything about the iron-made costume his friend wore, that probably meant he wasn't really surprised by whatever Harry would do. Maybe they could also take a jet-pack just like Flash did and get to safe floor and just…
Or they could start flying with some rockets that were on Harry's foot and fly in the sky. Just freaking perfect. For some weird reason, he didn't start screaming like he thought himself to do, and just closed his eyes to have a better feeling of the air going against his face. It was a relaxing sensation, and wondered why he couldn't be every single day in the air, just chilling and doing nothing besides jumping and going everywhere.
He opened his eyes, blinking and analysing the thoughts that just passed through his mind. Was that really a good idea? Staying his whole life in the air? Wasn't there something he needed to do before that?
'You OK Pete? Aren't you afraid or anything?' Peter shook his head, though he could barely move it, with it being forced with the wind and that.
'It actually is strangely relaxing. Like I belong here.'
'That's probably the best news I've heard from you the entire day,' admitted his friend and offered him what Peter could recall to be a sheepish laugh. It felt like Harry hadn't laughed in so many years.
Maybe that was the case. Peter had the feeling it was mildly true, and mildly his fault.
'We're almost at the Oscorp building, Flash. How are you?'
'I'm already there, I'm trying to enter.'
'Don't bother breaking anything. Dad has one window of the top floor open if I ever want to pay him a visit. Maybe you can use it without firing up the alarms.'
'Thanks for the memo. I'll take it in mind.' Peter didn't ask how he was able to contact with Flash even though he didn't look like he was holding a mobile phone, this just wasn't the strangest thing that happened in his day. They finally reached the building and entered through the window Harry very well mentioned. Harry took off his helmet and reached for Flash, who was waiting them both on a chair looking impatient. Harry opened the door and greeted his father.
When the older Osborn entered the other room, he found himself confused just by looking at none other than Agent Venom and Spiderman waiting in there.
'Peter?' He asked, raising an eyebrow. The teenager took off his mask and smiled shyly at him, almost as if he were afraid of doing it. He wasn't sure why. Maybe because he hadn't seen him in so long? Who knows.
'Good evening, Mister Osborn. How have you been?'
Even before Norman could answer Flash proceeded to tell him about Peter's current situation. Norman's face seemed to change at every single word that left his mouth, thing that scare Peter but at the same time made him anxious. 'We need you to run tests on Peter, Mister Osborn, you are the only one that has the necessary equipment to do it.'
'But you are S.H.I.E.L.D., you also have the equipment.' Answered a confused Norman.
Flash nodded. 'I know this, sir. But I also know that with his current situation he wouldn't be all trusty with us. Maybe he could… I'm not really sure, maybe he would be more comfortable around people he knew before the spider incident. Also, you have the largest archive of info about Spiderman, his abilities and his weaknesses. It has to be you who does this. Could you please consider it?'
Norman seemed in a big dilemma. Peter could relate, not that he was in something as big as Mister Osborn, but he knew the feeling… for some reason.
'I'll run all the tests possible on him. He'll have to stay in the Oscorp building for the time being, and when I am over with the testing, I'll reach you and tell you. Does that seem fair to you?'
Flash nodded with his head. 'We appreciate it very much, sir. Thanks for accepting this we ask you.'
Both, Flash and Harry reached the window, not before hearing Norman bidding them farewell and telling them to take care. Then they were gone. Without their presence to make Peter feel any better, he suddenly felt like Mister Osborn was staring at his back, and even though neither of them started a conversation, it seemed like the man wanted to tell Peter something, something Peter wouldn't like.
'Come follow me, Peter. We have work to do.'
Come to think to it, I have no idea of what I'm doing here. Maybe I'm just… trying to write something I really needed to do. I haven't seen any single story of Peter having amnesia, let alone Parksborn and Parmson(?) in the same story (also, there isn't really people that ship Peter with Flash besides TASM fandom, something I think a shame, because in USM there's a lot of good and non-toxic material.), so here's my attempt to write some decent story of Spiderman, don't bash me please, I can barely cope with my language traumas and my over stressed being. You dropping a comment would be nice, whether you are into the ships I aforementioned, or not. I did not really put much innuendos of any of these in this chapter, and probably won't do until some future chapters, and some research about spider behaviour. I need it to confirm some theory of mine.
Bid you Farewell, and until next chapter. Also, thanks to my incredibly helpful beta, Princess Andrmeda, love you big sis!
―gem―
